Sculpteo Raises $2.5 Million for On-Demand 3-D Printing

Sculpteo has new plans to expand its 3-D print-by-mail service, after the company scored $2.5 million in funding from XAnge Private Equity and other angels.

The French company, founded in 2009, announced the funding yesterday, saying on its blog that it will use some of that money to expand further in the United States, though it was vague about other plans for accelerating its growth. Its services include on-demand 3-D printing, basic rendering tools to tweak your already-made 3-D model, and app-based design tools for creating iPhone cases, among other projects.

Sculpteo isn't the only 3-D printing service expanding; competitor Shapeways moved into a larger facility in Brooklyn, New York, this past October, complete with ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by mayor Michael Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Staples announced this past November that it would begin offering 3-D printing services in Europe next year through a partnership with Irish 3-D printer manufacturer Mcor Technologies.

Sculpteo and its competitors have been partnering with design services like Tinkercad and Autodesk's 123D Design to offer one-button printing for users who don't have access to a 3-D printer of their own. Sculpteo currently offers printouts in plastic and ceramic, as well as a silver-coated plastic. Competing companies' materials include solid metals.